Even if you are a good driver, unforeseen circumstances can arise and result in an accident. If you have been involved in a car accident, it can be a stressful and traumatic experience.
Each day, more than 90 Americans die in car accidents and approximately 1.24 million people die in car crashes annually worldwide.
Types of Possible Car Accident Injuries
Depending on the factors that caused the road accident and the severity of a crash, car accident injuries can vary from minor scratches to broken bones, laceration, or may even lead to death. Some types of car accident injuries that one can face are:
- Whiplash & Neck injuries
- Scrapes and Cuts
- Head Injuries
- Broken Ribs
- Foot and ankle injuries
- Other Broken Bones
- Internal Bleeding
- Shoulder injuries
- Wrist and hand injuries
- Herniated Disc
- Knee Trauma
- Crush injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Psychological Pain Like Guilt
Broken Bones: One of the most common car accident injuries is broken bones of the arms, legs, ribs, nose, and skull. Due to the force of the accident that can come from any direction, drivers usually suffer from broken bones following a severe accident.
Burns and Laceration: Accidents can result in debris, broken auto parts, and objects flying inside the car. This may cause serious cuts and laceration to everyone involved in the accident. In some accidents, the extreme heat present in the car parts may cause a fire leading to burn injuries, and scarring. Besides, if an airbag is deployed during an accident, it may also lead to fractures of the nose and face.
Traumatic Brain Injuries: Whiplash and concussion may lead to mild traumatic brain injuries. TBI occurs when the brain is damaged by a blow or a piercing injury to the head. Each year, 50,000 people die from TBI and another 80,000 to 90,000 suffer long-term disability. In serious accidents, there could be a severe impact on the head resulting in permanent and irreversible brain damage that can impact the driver’s communication skills, motor skills, and adversely affect the quality of life.
Spinal Cord Injuries: Strain on the back is another common type of accident injury. Strains usually heal over time; however, spinal cord damage can be permanent and the victim would have to live with it for the rest of their life. Spinal cord injuries from an accident include fractures, sprains, herniated discs, and irreversible injuries like paralysis.
Wrongful Death: If the auto accident has been severe and the impact of the accident has been extremely serious, it may result in a devastating situation such as death. If the car accident has resulted in fatalities, the surviving family members of the victim can file a wrongful death claim and pursue compensation for the victim’s medical expenses, burial and funeral costs, lost income, and lost companionship.
When it comes to fatal car accidents by state, most occurred in Texas and California during 2018. According to the statistics, most fatal injuries happen during weekends.
How Can A Good Car Accident Lawyer Help You?
If you or your loved one have been involved in an auto accident that was caused by someone else’s recklessness, you deserve to receive justice. A knowledgeable car accident lawyer will help you by reviewing your case and informing you about your legal options to claim compensation. You do not deserve to pay out-of-pocket for your injuries or accident-related damages. A seasoned attorney will work relentlessly to gather evidence and file your personal injury or wrongful death claim. A good attorney will also go the extra step to obtain your doctor’s deposition and present it at the time of trial to ensure that the jury has a clear understanding of the severity of your injuries and you receive maximum compensation for your present and future medical bills, salary loss, reduced earning capacity as well as mental anguish.
Car Accident Statistics 2020
- Over 40,000 fatal car accidents per year in the U.S.
- Each day, more than 90 Americans die in car accidents.
- On average, 2 million drivers experience a permanent injury every year.
- Almost 8,000 people are killed in traffic accidents involving drivers aged 16-20.
- The most common causes of death on the road are drunk driving (40%), speeding (30%), and irresponsible driving (33%).
- Some 58% of fatal car accidents involve only one vehicle, and 38% are caused by a traffic collision.
- When it comes to fatal car accidents by state, most occurred in Texas and California during 2018.
- According to the statistics, most fatal injuries happen during weekends.
- Each year, more than 1,600 children younger than 15 die in traffic accidents.
Global Car Accident Statistics – 2020
- Approximately 1.24 million people die in car crashes annually worldwide.
- Libya is the world leader in terms of car accident deaths.
- Approximately half of the people killed in road accidents are pedestrians, cyclists, or motorcycle drivers.
- The United Kingdom has the fewest car accident deaths per year out of all EU countries.
- Surprisingly, middle-income countries have the highest rates of road traffic deaths, at 20.1 per 100,000 inhabitants annually.
US Car Accident Statistics – 2020
- The yearly cost of traffic accidents in the United States is around $871 billion.
- Use of cell phone use while driving caused 1.6 million car crashes.
- Every 50 minutes, a person dies because of driving under the influence of alcohol.
- It is estimated that seat belts saved almost 15,000 lives in 2017.
- Drivers aged 16 to 19 are three times more likely to be involved in car crashes than older drivers.
- Men are more likely to die in a car accident than women.
- Drivers and passengers are the most common victims of road accidents.
- The most common cause of road deaths in the United States is distracted driving.
- Road traffic injuries and deaths are statistically most likely to happen on Saturdays.
- Only 1 of 31 car models in the U.S. has adequate headlights for safe driving.
- The Word Health Organization ranks US highways as significantly more dangerous than highways in most Northern European countries.
- When it comes to a fatal car accident, men are two times more likely than women to have been driving under the influence.
- Motor-vehicle crashes are one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. among minors aged 1 to 19.
- More than 90% of all car crashes in the US involve driver error.
- Although passenger car crashes happen more often than truck crashes, the latter are more serious.
- Using a cellphone while driving contributed to more than 800 U.S. traffic deaths.
- Despite the declining trend, deaths caused by motorcycle crashes are 28 times more frequent than other fatal traffic crashes.
- There were almost 42 million licensed drivers aged 65+ in the United States in 2016.
- In 2010 alone, more than 1.4 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics.
- Only 5% of parents correctly place their child in their vehicle’s infant safety seat.